CHIEF ANTHONY ENAHORO: NIGERIAN independent PIONEER
By
Williams Patrick Praise
Chief
Anthony Eromosele Enahoro (1923–2010) was a towering figure in
Nigerian history, widely regarded as the "Father of the Nigerian
State." His life was a continuous struggle for self-rule,
democracy, and the restructuring of the Nigerian federation. From
being the country’s youngest newspaper editor to moving the first
motion for independence, Enahoro’s legacy is woven into the very
fabric of modern Nigeria.
Early
Life and Education
Born
on July 22, 1923, in Uromi, present-day Edo State, Anthony Enahoro
was the eldest of twelve children. He hailed from the Esan ethnic
group, the son of Anastasius Okotako Enahoro and Fidelia Inibokun.
His
educational journey took him through:
Government
School, Uromi and Government School, Owo. King’s
College, Lagos, where his path toward activism began.
While
at King’s College in the 1940s, Enahoro emerged as a student
leader, notably leading protests against the British colonial
government’s decision to involve Nigeria in World War II.
The
Youngest Editor and Early Journalism
Enahoro
chose journalism as a vehicle for his political ambitions. In 1944,
at the age of 21, he was appointed by Nnamdi Azikiwe to edit the
Southern Nigerian Defender in Ibadan, making him the youngest
newspaper editor in Nigeria’s history. His
career in the press was marked by frequent clashes with colonial
authorities: He served as editor of the Daily Comet and associate
editor of the West African Pilot.
He
was jailed twice for sedition by the colonial government: once for an
article mocking a former governor and again for a speech allegedly
inciting Nigerian troops.
The
Historic Motion for Independence
Enahoro’s
most significant political contribution occurred on March 31, 1953.
As a member of the Federal House of Representatives under the Action
Group (AG) party, he moved the historic motion requesting
"self-government for Nigeria in 1956."
Although
the motion faced stiff opposition from Northern representatives and
was initially defeated in parliament, it sparked a national movement
that ultimately forced the British to accelerate the transition to
independence, which was finally achieved on October 1, 1960.
Post-Independence:
Crisis and Exile
The
"Enahoro Affair" of
1963 was one of the most significant legal and political crises in
the history of British-Nigerian relations. It centred on the
extradition of Chief Anthony Enahoro from the United Kingdom to
Nigeria and became a landmark case that ultimately forced the UK to
modernise its colonial-era extradition laws.
1) The
Flight and Arrest
In
1962, a political crisis erupted in Nigeria’s Western Region. Chief
Anthony Enahoro, a leading figure in the opposition Action Group
(AG), was accused of a "treasonable felony"—allegedly
plotting with Chief Obafemi Awolowo to overthrow the federal
government through a coup. To
avoid arrest, Enahoro escaped Nigeria via Ghana and arrived in the
United Kingdom in early 1963. He believed that, as a political
dissident, he would be granted political asylum under Britain's
long-standing tradition of protecting political refugees. However,
upon arrival, he was arrested at the request of the Nigerian
government and held in Brixton Prison.
he
Legal Loophole: 1881 vs. 1870.
The
"Enahoro Affair" was defined by a jarring legal anomaly. At
the time, two different laws governed extradition in the UK:
The
Extradition Act of 1870: Used for "foreign"
(non-Commonwealth) countries. It explicitly prohibited extradition
for political offences. The Fugitive Offenders Act of 1881: Used for
British colonies and Commonwealth nations. Designed for an era when
the British Empire had a unified legal system, it did not contain an
exemption for political offences. Because Nigeria was a member of the
Commonwealth, the British government insisted on applying the 1881
Act. This meant that Enahoro could be sent back to face trial for
treason, even though his "crimes" were clearly political—a
protection he would have automatically received if he were a citizen
of a non-Commonwealth country like France or Russia.
3) The
Parliamentary Storm.
The
case sparked a "media furore" and a massive political
battle in the House of Commons. The newly elected Labour Party
leader, Harold Wilson, along with deputy leader George Brown, led a
fierce attack against the Conservative government of Prime Minister
Harold Macmillan.
The
debates centred on three main controversies:
The
Death Penalty: There
were fears that Enahoro could face execution if returned. The British
government was forced to seek a formal "undertaking"
(guarantee) from Nigeria that the death penalty would not be applied.
The
Right to Counsel:
Nigeria had banned Enahoro’s preferred British lawyers (Dingle Foot
and Gratiaen) from entering the country. Parliamentarians argued it
was unjust to extradite a man who was being denied the legal
representation of his choice.
The
"Double Standard": Critics
argued it was shameful that a Commonwealth citizen had fewer human
rights protections in Britain than a "foreigner."
Home
Secretary Henry Brooke became the primary target of public anger, as
he held the discretionary power to stop the extradition but refused
to do so, fearing that a refusal would insult the newly independent
Nigerian government.
4) The
Outcome.
After
five months of legal appeals—all the way to the House of Lords—and
multiple votes in Parliament, the British government finally ordered
Enahoro’s return. He was extradited in May 1963.
In
Nigeria, Enahoro was tried, convicted of treasonable felony, and
sentenced to 15 years in prison (later reduced to 10). He was
eventually released in 1966 following the July military coup that
brought General Yakubu Gowon to power.
5) Historical
Significance.
The
Enahoro Affair left a lasting mark on British law. The embarrassment
of the case and the perceived "betrayal" of British values
of asylum led directly to the Fugitive Offenders Act of 1967. This
new law finally aligned Commonwealth extradition rules with the rest
of the world, ensuring that no person could be extradited for a
political offence, regardless of their country of origin. Enahoro’s
struggle in the UK is now remembered as a classic example of the
tension between international diplomacy and individual human rights.
He later titled his autobiography "Fugitive Offender" in
direct reference to the law that had nearly cost him his life.
Roles
in Government and Pro-Democracy Activism Despite his history as an
agitator, Enahoro served the nation in several high-ranking
capacities:
Federal
Commissioner for Information and Labour:
Served under General Yakubu Gowon (1967–1974), acting as a key
spokesperson for the federal government during the Nigerian Civil
War.
Federal
Commissioner for Special Duties: Served in 1975.
NADECO
Leadership:
In the 1990s, he became a central figure in the National Democratic
Coalition (NADECO), leading the struggle against the military
dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. His activism during the Abacha
era forced him into exile once more in 1996 to escape assassination
attempts, returning only in 2000 after the restoration of democracy.
Death
and Legacy
Chief
Anthony Enahoro died on December 15, 2010, at the age of 87. He was
survived by his wife, Helen Imayuse Ediae, and five children.
Throughout his life, he remained a staunch advocate for a return to
the parliamentary system and the restructuring of Nigeria to ensure
more autonomy for its regions.
"The
question of independence for Nigeria is not controversial." —
Anthony Enahoro, 1953
